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Turkish shipbuilder Yonca-Onuk says that fighting pirates with frigates is like hunting a rabbit with a main battle tank and is consequently offering smaller, faster and cheaper boats as more effective solutions to the scourge of piracy.
Ekber Onuk, Vice chairman of Yonca-Onuk, said that since the end of the Cold War, focus has shifted to brown water operations, which require relatively small, agile boats. Piracy is a major threat at the moment and consequently Onuk have developed the ONUK MRTP24 “Kangal class” for escort duties. Named after the Anatolian shepherd dog, the boat is designed to be used in numbers to protect merchant vessels from pirates, much as a shepherd dog protects its flock. Onuk said he believed that instead of having corvettes and frigates conducting escort duties, it is better to have a dedicated and cost effective platform, like the Kangal.
On larger vessels like frigates, a significant portion of resources go to self-defence. This is not generally the case on smaller vessels, which often rely on other vessels in the fleet to provide protection or use their speed and agility to evade threats. A similar situation occurs regarding sensors – one small boat can acquire sensor information from another. Alternatively, a single boat, land station or container-based sensor package mounted on a merchant vessel could provide sensor data to a fleet of Kangal boats.
The Kangal class is based on the 26 m ONUK MRTP24 fast attack craft and could reach up to 70 knots, depending on engine configuration. The class will be armed with a remote controlled 25/30 mm gun and a remote controlled 12.7 mm machinegun.
Onuk said that there has been interest in the Kangal class for anti-piracy duties but there have been no sales yet. However, there is more interest in the type as a fast attack craft. Such a vessel can be equipped with anti-submarine rockets and surface-to-surface missiles, giving it a capability usually only found in larger vessels.
Yonca-Onuk makes composite boats for military applications, producing fast patrol boats between 15 and 50 metres in length. The company’s ONUK MRTP16 (18 m), MRTP20 (22.0 m) and MRTP34 (37 m) are in production, and there are plans for a new MRTP44 (47 m) and MRTP12 (13 m). Due to their advanced composite structure designed and built to DNV HSLC Rules, Onuk vessels have proved to have an outstanding robustness and have very low maintenance, offering a service life exceeding thirty years. The company aims to be the Porsche or Bugatti of the seas when it comes to quality and as a result their boats are quite expensive....

...Onuk is currently exhibiting at IDEX and NAVDEX 2013 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, between February 17 and 21.

15 years after the project has started the first plane of the Meltem project  was finally handed over to the Turkish Coast Guard on 23th January 2013. When the Meltem project started, this and this aircraft were not even on drawing boards. Since then they have taken off.

The plane TCSG-552 is the first of the three planes acquired for the surveillance missions. The planes of the coast guard are equipped with a side looking airborne radar (SLAR), AselFLIR-200,  Ocean Master 400 radar. The remaining two planes will enter into service in 2013.

Since the start of the Meltem has been beleaguered with delays. The project has 3 parts:

Meltem I:  The purchase of three CN-235′s for Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance missions by the Turkish Coast Guard and six CN-235′s in AsuW and ASW missions for Turkish Navy. This part of the project started in 1998 and ended in 2002.Meltem II:  The integration of AMASCOS  (Airborne MAritime Situation & Control System) and its sub components on the above mentioned planes. The Thales made AMASCOS  was selected as the main C3I system for the above mentioned CN-235 planes back in 2002. Thales acts as the main contractor and Turkish companies TAI, Havelsan, Aselsan and Milsoft are acting as sub contractors. According to the contract the planes were to be in service in 2007. But the first modified plane made its maiden flight one year after the contractual delivery date. The aircraft started to enter into contemporary commission only in 2012 both in Turkish Navy and Turkish Coast Guard.Meltem III: The purchase of ten ATR-72 ASW planes and integration of AMASCOS on to them. For Meltem (III) Aleina is the prime contractor. No aircraft has yet been delivered to the Navy and this stage of the project too encountered some delays already. It is possible that in the end Turkish Navy will get less than 10 planes.

WASHINGTON—Despite the best efforts of Ankara’s allies in Washington during the final hours of the Congressional session, the U.S. Senate refused to act Wednesday on a free give-away of advanced American naval vessels to Turkey. Earlier this week, the House had approved the controversial measure, following a contentious debate, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We join with our Greek American friends in thanking Congressmen Engel, Sherman, Bilirakis, and Sarbanes for opposing this controversial measure giving away two guided missile frigates to an increasingly arrogant and antagonistic Turkey, and welcome the Senate’s decision to block efforts to ‘fast-track’ passage of this controversial measure in the final hours of the 112th Congress,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “This most recent setback for Turkey reflects the growing bipartisan understanding on both sides of Capitol Hill about the real price America is paying for Turkey’s growing hostility to U.S. interests and allies. Ankara’s failure is yet another signal that the era of Turkey’s having a blank-check in Washington is over.”...

According to the announcement made by Turkish General Staff, the Turkish frigate F-496 TCG Gökova escorted the cargo vessel M/V Aqua Luna as she was carrying humanitarian cargo to Somalia. The Turkish owned and Monrovia flagged freighter left the port of Mersin in late November and passed through the Suez Canal on 30th November.
TCG Gökova escorted the cargo vessel during her 2650 nautical miles long trip. M/V Aqua Luna was chartered by Turkish Red Crescent and was carrying undisclosed humanitarian aid to Somalia. The Trip took 11 days from the Suez Canal to Mogadishu.
Although it has not been officially announced yet it is highly possible for F-496 TCG Gökova to replace the F-492 TCG Gemlik in CTF-151.

A U.S bill anticipating the donation of two frigates to Turkey with the authorization of President Barack Obama has failed due to technical, not political, reasons, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
“Debates on the issue of the fiscal cliff kept the House of Representatives occupied for a long time. Thus, when the bill came to the Senate, there was a time pressure,” sources told the Hürriyet Daily News, explaining why the bill seeking permission to donate guided missile frigates to Turkey, Thailand and Mexico, could not be ratified by the Senate before the end of the legislative term on Jan. 3.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, introduced the bill to the House on Dec. 11, 2012. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill on Dec. 31, 2012.
However, the motion required Senate approval for a free give-away of advanced American naval
vessels to Turkey to come into effect. The ships in question are the USS Halyburton (FFG-40) and the USS Thach (FFG-43).
The bill is expected to be re-introduced to the House in the next legislative term, according to sources.
The absence of Senate action at the end of the 112th Congress means that any legislation authorizing such a donation needs to be re-introduced for consideration during the 113th Congress.
“There was no political decision involved, this was solely a technical matter,” the sources added, referring to Washington-based rumors that the bill was blocked thanks to efforts by Greek, Armenian and Jewish lobbies.
The bill also elicited a harsh reaction from the Washington-based Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), which lobbied to prevent the provision of the naval vessels to Turkey.

Today, Turkish Parliament accepted a submitted motion to extend the presence of Turkish Navy in Gulf Of Aden for one year.

In 2009, Turkish Parliament gave the government the power to send units from Turkish Navy to Gulf Of Aden and adjacent waters, in order to participate the multinational efforts of anti-piracy.

The as duration of this permission is limited to one year each year it has to be extended.The current mandate will en on 10th February 2014.

Turkish warship are  tasked with:

Performing reconnaissance and patrol duties,Calling on ships suspected of piracy/ armed robbery, on the radio, boarding them if their flag country approves and interfering in accordance with the international law if the ship is not showing any flag,Escorting and protecting merchant ships,Helping merchant ships under attack of pirates/sea robbers,Intervening, stopping, neutralizing, and confiscating any vessels used by pirates/sea robbers, and using appropriate force if necessary,Arresting and detaining pirates/sea robbers and armed persons in these vessels,Accepting the representatives of the countries that will prosecute pirates/ armed robbers on board, for the preparations of judicial proceedings, according to the UN resolution 1851.Arresting and detaining, pirates/armed robbers on board until they are being handed over to the countries that will prosecute them,Turning in, the suspects of pirates/sea robbers with the exception of the case that these are Turkish citizens, to the authorities the nation where the pirates/sea robbers will be prosecuted,Executing all kinds of policing duties including interrogation, collecting evidence.

 

ISLAMABAD: Contract for construction of Fleet Tanker (Logistic Support Ship) for Pakistan Navy was signed between Ministry of Defence Production, Pakistan and STM of Turkey on Tuesday in Rawalpindi.
The contract has been signed by Munitions Productions Director General Rear Admiral Imtiaz Ahmed SI(M) on behalf of the government of Pakistan and Board of STM Chairperson and Electronics Warfare and Sensors programmes in SSM Department Head Elife Unal on behalf of STM, Turkey.
The main highlights of the project are that design of the ship along with kit of Matrial (KoM) will be provided by STM and the complete construction and assembly activities will be undertaken at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd. Ship construction is a strategic industry, in fact no country has gained the status of a developed country without the development of the shipbuilding industry and trained manpower in this field. Therefore, construction Fleet Tanker at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works will not only enhance ship construction (tanker) capacity and expertise of the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, but will also help in developing its human resource to meet the future challenges of warship design and construction. Local downstream industry, in the long run will also benefit from the ship construction in the form of procurement of construction consumables by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works from the local market.
The Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works is already constructing ships and craft for Pakistan Navy, however, this is the first time in the history of Pakistan that Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works will build a Fleet Tanker (Logistics Support Ship) at its facilities. Construction of the Fleet Tanker is in line with Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI (M), Chief of the Naval Staff’s vision of achieving self-reliance and indigenisation of defence equipment. The tanker with its modern design and state-of-the-art capabilities will significantly enhance Pakistan Navy’s fleet combat prowess and logistic stamina.
Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works has three main business areas: building military and civil vessels, ship repair and heavy engineering. It builds vessels for all of Pakistan’s port authorities. Since inception in the 1950s the yard has built around 440 different vessels and is equipped build large vessels, such as naval vessels, tugs, dredgers, hopper barges, ferries, trawlers and launches.
Ship repair is a major part of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works undertakings and the company has so far repaired more than 5,000 domestic and international vessels. In order to enhance the capacity and capability for shipbuilding and repair, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works is installing a ship lift and transfer system, which is due to be completed by the current year.
The partnership in the field of defence production speaks volume of the relations enjoyed by two countries. Pakistan and Turkey have long-standing strategic ties. Both brotherly Muslim countries have time-tested relations. staff report

A defense industry summit set to convene in Ankara under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday is expected to evaluate bids for Turkey's first aircraft carrier. According to a report in the Habertürk daily, the three candidates competing for the bid will be the group companies Koç, Kalkanoğlu and Kalkavan.

In an effort to increase the Turkish military's naval power and to turn it into a global actor, Turkey will initiate efforts for the construction of the first aircraft carrier to be made in Turkey. The Defense Industry Implementation Committee (SSİK) will discuss the offers for the bid to decide on which Turkish company will run the project for the Turkish naval forces.

The project, named the Landing Platform Dock (LPD), entails the construction of a 220-meter-long military base on the water and is expected to cost $3 billion. However, since the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) currently do not have any planes that are capable of vertical take-off and landing, the project will initially be used as a helicopter ship. The first Turkish-made aircraft carrier will reportedly be modeled on the Juan Carlos I (L-61) belonging to Spain, which visited İstanbul last year.

The bidders are the RMK Marine, Desan and Sedef shipyards, which are owned by the Koç Group, the chairman of the Chamber of Shipping Commerce, Cengiz Kaptanoğlu, and the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Shipping, Metin Kalkavan, respectively. According to experts, Koç and Kalkavan are the favorites for the bid. As the first bidder is reported to have developed a unique design, the second is said to be using the Juan Carlos I as a model.

Turkey's first national aircraft carrier is expected to be equipped with a system that enables non-stop sailing for 30 days and 1,700 nautical miles. Its hangar and elevator systems will be constructed compatible with the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) planes which can take off and land vertically that Turkey will acquire in the coming years. It will also be able to carry up to 100 tracked military vehicles. In the pool section of the aircraft carrier, two LCAC (landing craft air cushion) hovercraft boats will be located.

At Thursday's meeting, the SSİK is also expected to decide on the production for the National Ship Project (Mil-Gem).

Turkey plans to build four frigates with assistance from foreign shipyards and likely will fund an additional four for a total cost of about $7 billion, after the current production of eight corvettes is completed between 2015 and 2020, a senior procurement official said.
The official said the frigates would be built in private shipyards but will include the contribution of foreign bidders, as the program is too complex for local companies....
...The procurement official said that Lockheed Martin, BAe Systems and Navantia were ready to participate in the program, due to be finished in 2023, the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
The frigates, known as the TF2000, are supposed to be able to cruise at 18 knots with a maximum speed of 28 knots....